The present invention relates to a device for separating multiple phase fluid systems according to the relative specific gravities of the phases and more particularly to such a device for separating gases or gases and particulate solids from a carrier fluid.
As evidenced by the applicant's U.S. Pat. No. 3,289,608 and No. 3,512,651, it has been known to separate solid particles from fluids in which they are carried by utilizing the velocity of such a fluid system to swirl the system in a vortex chamber. In this manner, sand, silt, clay and other foreign particles have been effectively removed from a carrying fluid so as to minimize the wear and clogging of meters, sprinklers, pumps, and other fluid handling equipment and to improve the quality of the fluid for washing, cooking, drinking, irrigation, sanitation and other purposes.
A long recognized companion problem has been the removal of gaseous components disolved in carrying liquids, such as methane in well water. The presence of such gaseous components has led to excessive wear, inefficient operation, and erratic behavior of pumps, inefficient meters, sprinklers, and other fluid handling equipment. The unintended and uncontrolled accumulation of inflamable gases has even constituted a hazard of substantial significance.
Not only have the difficulties incident to the presence of gaseous components in various fluids long been recognized, such problems usually have arisen in situations in which the removal of solid particles of impurities or contamination is also highly desirable. Insofar as the applicant is aware, prior to the present invention there has been no economical and efficient method or apparatus for removing gaseous components contained in a fluid, particularly where the fluid has been in a stream of substantial volume and no method or apparatus whatsoever has been known to the applicant for concurrently removing both solid particles and gaseous components from a fluid stream.